1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to manipulative models and, more specifically, to expandable dolls or to other small-scale representations of animals. This field includes all dolls and/or manikins that can be manipulated in some way. More specifically, there are quite a few dolls that grow or expand in some way. The methods of expansion are as varied as the number of devices and the results vary as much in quality. The approach, in prior art, to solving the problem of achieving the appearance of growth through expansion has obviously been to limit the goal to achieving merely a gross approximation to the growth process based on the assumption that this was the only realistic goal possible in the light of current technology. This approach has invariably resulted in the achievement of only a gross approximation to growth with substantial compromise to appearance.
The present invention, the Expandable Doll, provides a doll that simulates the growth of a child proportionally and incrementally in all areas of the body from an infant stage to that of a toddler using an integrated pneumatic manual pumping system. This proportionality of growth gives the resulting configuration a more normal appearance. The doll is covered with a realistic elastic skin that complies with the stretching action. Each body element in the Expandable Doll is designed to expand at a rate and to an extent appropriate to presenting a realistic simulation of the development of an infant to a toddler.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other expanding doll devices designed for simulating growth. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,338 issued to Paul Lyons et al. on Jul. 10, 1979.
Another patent was issued to Thomas J. Fauls on Dec. 2, 1980 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,347. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 4,246,722 was issued to Jurgis Sapkus on Jan. 27, 1981 and still yet another was issued on Apr. 7, 1981 to Marcia Silverstein as U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,807.
Another patent was issued to Joseph M. Darrigo, Sr. on Nov. 11, 1986 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,021. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,528 was issued to Jacob Chatkis on May 9, 1989. Another was issued to Beverly L. Munter on Nov. 26, 1991 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,924 and still yet another was issued on Jun. 30, 1992 to Henry Orenstein et al. as U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,865. Still another was issued to Jaime Ferri on May 16, 1995 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,580.
A toy doll has a mouth opening adapted to receive a simulated nursing bottle from which water is fed to the interior of the doll, some of such water producing a wetting action. The doll is also adapted to produce a burping sound when its back is patted, and simultaneously to spit up through the mouth opening some of the water previously fed from the bottle. The burping sound is produced by a bellows in the body portion of the doll which is successively compressed upon patting the back of the doll and which progressively feeds air into another bellows located in the head of the doll until the head bellows reaches an expanded position. An actuating member then automatically releases the air from the expanded head bellows, which air flows in a sudden controlled flow through a sound producing device. Some of this released air also causes liquid to be emitted from the mouth opening to produce the spitting-up effect.
A flexible doll having a normal form defined by a molded elastic skin and viscous liquid filler and a separate molded head, and which will repeatedly return to its normal form after stretching and deforming of its body parts, is provided with a closure means and head mounting which is a cylindrical member having a large diameter filling passage, and external circumferential flanges spaced along its length. Two of the flanges provide a recess for lamping the doll skin thereto in sealed relationship. End flanges on the cylindrical member coact with a cylindrical bore and flange on the doll head to support it in a manner to be erect and rotatable with respect to the doll body. A plug is provided for sealingly closing the filler passage. The plug is apertured so that the doll body may be squeezed to remove all air therefrom prior to closing the aperture.
This invention relates to a flexible doll having a normal form defined by a molded elastic skin and viscous liquid filler and a separate molded head, and which will repeatedly return to its normal form after stretching and deforming of its body parts, and having closure means which both facilitates filling of the skin with viscous liquid and effectively engages and supports the head in a manner to be erect and rotatable with respect to the doll body.
A baby doll having an extendable torso, an extendable neck, movable legs, and a mechanism for causing the torso and the neck to extend and the legs to straighten so that the doll appears to grow.
A fabric-sewn doll, stuffed with polyester stuffing, and including the head and trunk being made in one piece while the arms and legs are separate pieces adjustably attached thereto, so that the size of the doll may be adjusted to be the same height as a growing child and thus be able to share wearing the clothing of the child who owns it.
A doll that grows is provided and has a device which has a thread portion in engagement with a thread hole for adjustably securing legs to the bottom of a torso of the main body portion of the doll for movement between a retracted portion and an extended position so as to simulate growth for the doll.
A doll is provided which has a stretchable inner liner, an expandable core within the inner liner and a skin layer in intimate contact with the inner liner. The inner liner has one or more growth phase means which can be a series of essentially parallel stitchings optionally joined by bridging loops. The growth phases can be simply activated at redetermined times by externally accessible means or by an internal winding device which can be caused to rotate from an external location of the doll.
The disclosure describes an apparatus and method for facilitating weight loss. In particular, a doll that will simulate weight loss and weight gain according to simultaneous weight loss and weight gain of the doll""s owner is disclosed. Layers of xe2x80x9cskinxe2x80x9d made of stretchable synthetic material, such as vinyl, are added or removed from the doll each time the doll""s owner gains or loses one weight increment, respectively. Each layer represents a particular predetermined weight increment, which may be determined by the doll""s owner. The doll may be male or female, preferably includes jointed body parts, and may be dressed, such as in a running suit which fits over the layers of skin.
A toy doll includes a doll body and an animating mechanism in the doll body. The doll body includes a head portion including a resiliently flexible mouth section, a longitudinally expandable and contractible torso portion, and right and left arms and legs. The animating mechanism is operative by manually depressing the mouth section to actuate the animating mechanism to reciprocally move the mouth section inwardly and outwardly to simulate a chewing activity, and it is thereafter operative by manipulating one of the arms to actuate the animating mechanism to longitudinally expand the torso portion to simulate a growing activity.
A variable height double-faced doll, adaptable to the body and height of the user. The doll is made up of a body like those of ragdolls, with its corresponding limbs, lower and upper, being soft, as well as the head. Both the lower and upper limbs are made of elastics concertinered at the seams on the arms and legs to make stretching possible for their adaptation to the height and contours of the user. The bead has two faces, one on each side, which consist of hair and of a cap which are placed in such a way that they will complement each other in a different way on each respective face, depending which side is viewed. The widened parts that form the feet are endowed with a lower covering with two distinct parts on either side of a lower transverse fixing strap, so that each part of the covering is separable from the foot in order to form an opening for the positioning of the user""s foot.
While these expandable dolls may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as hereinafter described.
The present invention discloses an expandable doll or other animal having a central, manually operated air pump which takes air in through a one-way valve located in the doll""s naval and is then distributed proportionally to all the extremities through a semi-rigid, plastic tube air distribution system. The expansion takes place through the action of a system of bellows that connect each of the separate bodily elements at their normal junctures, i.e., elbow, knee, etc. The doll is covered with a realistic, elastic skin which complies with the stretching action of the bellows at each expanding juncture. Each bellows is custom designed for a particular body element in order to be able to expand to the extent and at a rate appropriate for that particular element at each incremental stage of development from a baby to a toddler, The present invention is also adaptable to other type animals.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide an expandable doll that will simulate the development of a child from an infant stage to a toddler stage.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an expandable doll that will simulate the development of a child from an infant stage to a toddler stage that is actuated, by simple, quick, singular, low-effort, manual input in small incremental movements such as pumping.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an expandable doll that will simulate the development of a child from an infant stage to a toddler stage that grows uniformly and incrementally in all areas of the body simultaneously.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an expandable doll that will simulate the development of a child from an infant stage to a toddler stage that gives the resulting configuration a more normal appearance.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide an expandable doll that will simulate the development of a child from an infant stage to a toddler stage that has stretchable natural looking skin.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an expandable doll that will simulate the development of a child from an infant stage to a toddler stage that grows uniformly and incrementally in all areas of the body wherein a single input results in an integrated proportional change to the entire doll.
Additional objects of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawings, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views.
The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims.